Museum

The Saint Louis Art Museum was founded in 1879 and was then called the St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts, an independent entity within Washington University. The Museum was originally located in downtown St. Louis but relocated to our current home in Forest Park following the 1904 World's Fair. Designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert, the Museum's Beaux-Arts style building bears the inscription Dedicated to Art and Free to All. The Museum's long-standing commitment to free admission makes it possible for everyone to have the opportunity to visit our galleries as often as they like throughout the year. Through generations of public support and private benefaction, the Museum has assembled one of the finest comprehensive art collections in the country. With a per-capita attendance that is consistently among the highest of our nation's art museums, we are a national leader in making our collections and programs available to a broad public audience.